S(e)kuared Bonx completes the (Winter)sett! 06.09.13

A 10 degrees, cold, grey and intermittently wet  day, with a north westerly wind,  delivered birds from the wish list at Anglers CP today.    Pete Smith and Fitzy put in a full day watch from the hide, and were handsomely rewarded for their effort and dedication.
Four hours in and  Pete picked up a pale phase adult ARCTIC  SKUA  that  flew low over the lake leaving slowly west at 11.55hours.
Paul got his prize four hours later when he picked up the FIRST  WINTERSETT  RECORD   BONXIE as it flew high NE from 15.10 to 15.17 hours.    That was 2 Skua Wintersett ticks in four hours for him and the 3rd Wintersett Skua record in 13 months. (The Long-tailed Skua was in August 2012).  The Bonxie completes the Skua set for Wintersett.

Arctic Skua - pale phase adult                               Fitzy

Anglers Hide Vis Mig was slow this morning but picked up this afternoon.
An adult and a juvenile ARCTIC TERN  flew in at 09.20hrs.,  3 Yellow-legged Gulls - an adult, a 3rd Summer and a 1st Winter bird joined the usual 3rd Summer bird.     34 Snipe went west in small parties during the afternoon passage.   At 16.20hrs a flock of 18 Wigeon and 6 Pintail flew in from the east, followed by a flock of 30 Wigeon at 16.30hrs and another 25 at 16.34hrs.  A total of 140 Wigeon present.  6 Golden Plover W at 16.47hours.
Anglers CP: Little Grebe 4,  Mallard 98,  Greylag Goose 26, Shoveler 2,  Teal 3,  Goldeneye 1 female,  Snipe 3 + 6 in from E.   A Hobby went over at 14.05hrs.  House Martin 150.
Wintersett Res:  Sand Martin 4.

  Arctic Tern  juvenile and adult                    KDenny

All in all  another legendary day for the Wintersett Area.